Metal Review: Rage – 21 (2012)

The name of this album, 21, is not by mistake. It simply means that this is Rage’s 21st album. Holy hell that is a lot. Sometimes you forget that they have indeed been around forever. The problem with Rage’s longevity is that the quality of their output has been hit or miss for the most part. All in all though, they still have the passion to do what they do after 21 albums. That is saying something right there.

Rage has pretty much relied on the riff for their entire existence and it has serviced them well. You can get an idea of what I mean from the the title track, Twenty One, alone. The riffs are strong and the leads are solid as hell. Another aspect to their music has always been the catchy choruses and they are no different with their latest release. their chunky thrash metal riffs are still here and their power metal-style choruses are ever present.

Song after song, you get the same formula that has worked for so long. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Songs like Forever Dead are songs that we have heard from Rage for years, but they continue to work.

The main issue with Rage has always been the same thing. The vocals are quite pedestrian and they seem to be stuck in the past. This is another album that you can get a few listens out of, but it will hit your shelf soon enough and never come off of it. With that being said, you will get a few listens out of it and that is more than can be said for some bands.